


Risk

by fannishliss



Series: Peggy/Steve/Bucky OT3 [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky gives up too quick, Explicit Consent, Multi, Peggy is a smart lady, Polyamory Negotiations, Steve Rogers is one lucky fellow, Threesome - F/M/M, they are not there yet but well on their way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-29
Updated: 2014-07-29
Packaged: 2018-02-10 23:28:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2044257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fannishliss/pseuds/fannishliss
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Agent Carter makes her move.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Risk

**Author's Note:**

> While I primarily ship Bucky/Steve with the fire of a thousand suns -- I also like Peggy a lot.   I think she is perceptive enough to see everything going on between Steve and Bucky, even while Steve felt the pull toward her as well.   Peggy Carter is not a woman to waste time or let a good opportunity pass her by. Therefore, this story.

**title: Risk**  
author: [](http://fannishliss.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://fannishliss.livejournal.com/)**fannishliss**  
pairing: Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers/Peggy Carter  
rating: PG  
warnings/spoilers: none.  Potential threesome, full consent.

Summary: Agent Carter makes her move.

Notes: While I primarily ship Bucky/Steve with the fire of a thousand suns -- I also like Peggy a lot.   I think she is perceptive enough to see everything going on between Steve and Bucky, even while Steve felt the pull toward her as well.   Peggy Carter is not a woman to waste time or let a good opportunity pass her by. Therefore, this story.

 

 

Agent Peggy Carter sat behind the desk in the little office in London she called her own.  The two men sitting opposite to her shifted slightly in their seats, pleasantries having passed with Peggy getting no closer to the point:  Steve Rogers, Captain America, who’s now proved himself the hero he was made to pretend to be, by single-handedly leading a thousand men out of a Hydra hell-hole into freedom; and Sgt. James Buchanan Barnes, the handsome, charming, simple man for whom Captain Rogers risked his life, his honor, and the not-insubstantial investment his country had made in him.

The two made a lovely pair. They probably didn’t realize how obviously they telegraphed their bond — how the distance between them always remained at a careful camaraderie, never too close, but never allowed to become too wide.

Peggy opened her cigarette case and pulled one out for herself, offering the case to Steve and Sgt. Barnes.

Steve, as expected, shook his head.  Barnes looked tempted, glanced at Steve, and then visibly made himself accept the offer.  He leaned in as she flicked her lighter, inhaling gratefully, blowing the smoke away from Steve. Peggy steeled herself against the pursing of his lips.

“Gentlemen,” she began.  “What we speak of tonight will be completely confidential.  Do I make myself clear?”

The little frown between Steve’s eyes hadn’t changed at all with the addition of super-soldier serum.  “Yes ma’am, of course,” he added.

Barnes’s soft eyes, tired and resolute, regarded her knowingly.  “Ma’am, yes ma’am.”

She would have poured Scotch, but there was no point with Steve’s metabolism, and Barnes didn’t need any more of that kind of help.

“I’ll be blunt,” she said.  “Steve, I don’t appreciate your lack of trust in me. Didn’t I do everything in my power to help you find Barnes?”

Steve’s frown deepened.  “Yes, of course.  Of course I trust you, Peggy!”

“And you,” Peggy said, cutting Steve off and turning to Barnes, “drinking yourself silly, out of uniform, looking at me like I just shot your dog!”

Barnes dropped his eyes, but he couldn’t deny that he’d been doing exactly that.

“I’m going to ask you a pointed question, and I expect you to answer honestly.”

Barnes glanced at Steve, but Steve stared straight back at her. He was a picture, wasn’t he: combed blond hair, strong jaw, dark brows that telegraphed every emotion, lush pink lips, and dark blue eyes that promised total honesty.   All of that, plus a body like a god’s.  Peggy wondered if she really knew what she was doing here, but she trusted her gut.  It would be for the best.

Peggy took a drag off her cigarette, blew the smoke behind her, and let the cat out of the bag.  “Are you two lovers?”

Steve turned red, and Barnes turned white.  Peggy leaned back, her suspicions confirmed.

“I never touched him, I swear to god,” Barnes stammered, terror in his eyes. “Stevie, it’s not like that, tell her.”

Steve’s massive shoulders rose and fell in a sigh that seemed to collapse his heroic form.  “I’m not ashamed. Bucky, we never did nothing wrong, not a god damned thing.  You’ve loved me like a brother my whole life.”

Barnes’s blues eyes shone like stars against his pallor.  “Please, ma’am.  Steve ain’t done nothing wrong, it’s all on me if I been looking at him . . . queer.” Barnes shuddered as he pronounced the damning slur. “Do whatever you want to me, but leave Steve alone.  He’s the best hope we got in this war.”

“Bucky, don’t talk like that.  Where one of us goes, we go together, you know that,” Steve said.

“Hell if I let you throw your future away for nothing,” Barnes spat. “What kind of friend would I be, to drag you down —you’re Captain America!”

“I never had nothing,” Steve said, his Brooklyn accent returning in full force, “except I had you.”

Barnes couldn’t deny it, mouth pressed closed, blue eyes glinting a little too wet.  He turned a look on Peggy meant to cut.

“What’s your game, here, Agent?” Barnes said.  “You want Steve for yourself? Well, guess what? You got him.  You’re smart, beautiful, brave, holding your own in this crazy war — you’re everything any man could want.   Do you think I’d hold him back, when he could have you?”

Peggy held her breath and slowly let it out, waiting for the air to clear.

“I have a proposition, to our mutual advantage. I don’t expect you to make up your minds tonight. But hear me out.”

Steve’s lowered brow, the despair in Barnes’s dull eyes, told her she’d made the right call.

“The two of you aren’t lovers —yet.  But any fool can see the way you look at each other.  We can’t afford for Captain America’s image to be … tarnished.  My proposition is this.  Barnes, I want you to dance with every girl you can lay your hands on.  Steve, you only have eyes for me.  Perhaps, we’ll even announce our engagement. But what I want you to know, is that I don’t mean to really come between you.”

“What?” Steve asked, mouth hanging open in confusion.

Barnes was no better.  The paleness of shock had given way to a high flush that stood on his cheeks like a fever.

“I mean to keep your secret.  More.  I mean for the two of you to finally tell each other the whole truth. And I’ll be your cover.  It’ll keep the wolves from baying at my door, and throw them off your scent as well.  As long as Sgt. Barnes can stay sober enough to rule as king of the dance halls, we should be in the clear.  Any questions?”

Peggy finished her cigarette and stubbed it out.  Barnes had forgotten his completely. Reminded, he took a long, shaky drag, eyes cast away from Steve, as though, if he looked once, he would never look away.

Then Steve opened his big, stupid mouth. “I don’t think I can do that,” he said.

“What?” Barnes whined.

“Bucky, I’m not a liar. You should know me better than that.  But the truth isn’t always easy. Sure, I’ve been in love with you since I knew what those words meant — even before that.  But I’ve spent all those years, locking that part of myself away — watching you go out — waiting for the night you wouldn’t come back — and that night came.”

“Steve, that’s not fair,” Barnes fumed, eyes flashing.

“No such thing as fair,” Steve said.  “You went to war, and finally I did too.  No guarantee I’d ever find you.  And then there was Peggy.” Steve blushed again.

“I already said I wouldn’t hold you back!” Barnes complained.

“I don’t know how to say this right,” Steve said, frowning mightily. He heaved another sigh, swiped at his hair and tried one more time.

“I love you, Bucky.  Always have, always will.  But it’s not right to treat you like some dirty little secret.”

Then Steve opened his eyes and looked straight at Peggy.  “And it’s not right to walk out with you, Peggy, just to hide who I am with Bucky.  You deserve so much more.  So much I was hoping to give you.”

“Ah, Steve, you punk— just grab the girl and run,” Barnes groaned, clapping his hand over his eyes.

Peggy finally spoke.  “So, let me understand you.  You’re suggesting a more -  unconventional - arrangement?”

“I am?” Steve said, faintly.

“You want to love us both — it seems the solution is obvious. Wouldn’t you say, Sgt. Barnes?”

Bucky lifted his eyes to Peggy, and in their deep-gray blue a spark of life seemed to dawn. “Maybe?”

“You love us both — we both love you back.  Not so difficult, surely?”  Peggy shot a heated glance at Barnes, who rose to the occasion.

“Surely,” he echoed.  “Cakewalk.”

“Shall we — test the waters?” Peggy suggested.  After staring at Barnes’s mouth all evening, she couldn’t resist.

She stood up, placed her hands on the desk, and leaned across. Barnes leaned in, and their lips met softly.  He was sweeter by far than his sinful good looks, gentlemanly like a man who held Steve Rogers’s highest esteem would have to be, but the fire she knew was there lay banked just below the surface, hot and hungry, ready to burn her down to the core.

Steve was agape, again, and nearly as red as the stripes on his uniform.  “What?” he said.  “All three of us? together?”

Peggy and Barnes smiled at each other, and Barnes reached out, lay his arm around Steve’s neck, like he must’ve done a thousand times, but this time, there was no reason for either of them to look away.

“Whaddaya say, Stevie?” Barnes smiled.  “Wanna give it a shot?”

Steve looked from Barnes, to Peggy, back again, and his smile lit up his face.  “Boy, do I!”

Peggy laughed, and Barnes grinned wide, basking in his best friend’s happiness.  It was a long shot, trying to build something that might bring happiness to all three of them, but it was a risk she was willing to take.

 

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE let me know if you would like to see more of this ot3. I strive to be canon compliant. I will respond to requests!!


End file.
